Stock-feeding mechanism



Sept. 28, 1954 w. B. RETZ SToCK-FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 9 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. lllll Il Sept. 28, 1954 W B RETZ 2,690,000

STOCK-FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w/LL/AM RETZ Gttornegs Patented Slept. 28, 1954 zaaooo lSTOCK-FEEDING MECHANISM William B. Retz, Plainville, Conn., assignor to The New Britain Machine Company,

New

Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application February 9, 1951, Serial No. 210,133

9 Claims.

My invention relates to an automatic stockfeeding mechanism for bar machines or the like, and is in the nature of an improvement over U. S. Patent No. 2,555,753 to Donald H. Montgomery, and over my co-pending application, Serial No. 189,727, filed October l2, 1950, now Patent No. 2,656,859 issued October 27, 1953.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved device of the character indicated.

It is another object to provide an improved means for guiding long lengths of stock in a stock-feeding mechanism of the character indicated.

It is a specific object to provide means for guarding against undue stock whip in a stockfeeding mechanism involving high-speed rotation of the stock.

It is another specific object to provide guide means for confining rotating stock to its axis of rotation, said guide means being effective to guide an otherwise unsupported central part of the stock span for a maximum fraction of the time during which said span exists in a longitudinal feeding of the stock.

Other objects and various further features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention- Fig. l is a simplified view in elevation of a stock-feeding mechanism of the type disclosed in the above-'mentioned co-pending patent applications and shown incorporating features of the invention and for application to a bar machine such as an automatic lathe;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in partial section of cooperating parts of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view in partial section of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken more or less in the plane 4 4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of the invention.

Briefly stated, my invention contemplates an improved means for guiding, and for automatically maintaining alignment of, the generally central, otherwise unsupported length or span of a piece of stock being fed in a stock-feeding mechanism of the general type disclosed in the above-mentioned copending patent application. As long as the unconsumed, and otherwise unsupported, span of stock is substantial, my alignment means may remain elevated and thus perform its function of effectively locating the entire length of stock so as to guard against Whip resulting from a high speed of rotation; but upon substantial consumption of the stock and as the danger of whip ceases, my mechanism may automatically retract out of the path of the pusher mechanism, if required.

Referring to the drawings, stock-feeding mechanisms of the character indicated are particularly adapted for internal feeding (from the rear) of the bar machines, such as a lathe IB, having a spindle chuck II, in which an elongated bar I2 or other piece of stock is to be held. The stock-feeding mechanism may include a 'frame or I-beam member I3, supported by pedestals Ill, and carrying fixed elongated guide means in the form of rails I5 attached to opposite sides of the lower flange of the I-beam. The stockpusher means may include guide means in the form of rollers I6 on forward and rear carriages I'l-IB for guided movement along the elongated rails I5. The pusher means may further comprise an elongated bar I9, guided in both carriages I'l--I and supporting a pusher head 26 at the forward end and on a stock-feeding axis. The pusher head 2D may be revolubly mounted so that the rear end of the piece of stock may be constantly supported for proper alignment with the spindle as the machine IEl performs its cperations. The pusher means may be driven by a fluid-pressure means 2l actuating a rack 22 and pinion 23 to advance a sprocket chain 24, all as more fully described in my said co-pending application. Before becoming fully supported by the spindle chuck II and the pusher nose 20, a piece of stock may be held in generally the desired orientation by a frame member, such as a longitudinal channel or angle member 9, as will be understood.

In order to accommodate maximum lengths of stock, a substantial length of the pusher bar It may be extended substantially fully beyond the rear end of the mechanism, as shown in Fig. l,

and, in order that the last usable length of stock may be consumed in the machine lil, a substantial length of the pusher bar I9 may be extended forwardly of the front end of the stock-feeding mechanism. Selective mechanisms may interconnect the frame, the carriages II-IS, and the pusher means I9-2Il for assuring a maximum spacing of carriages I'I-I8 consistent with the instantaneous longitudinal location of the pusher bar I9, all as more fully explained in my said co-pending application.

In accordance with the invention, 1 provide other connection between the forward pusher carriage and the pusher nose 20 may be sufficiently strong to permit the abutment surface 45 on the forward carriage I 1 to drive the abutment end 42 of rod 40 forward to actuate the toggle mechanism to the right and into the position shown (in solid outlines) in the drawings, with the stock-guide member 25 projected into stockguiding relation with the newly loaded piece of stock. l

In certain cases, speeds of rotation may be so high, or the stock may be of such small diameter with relation to its otherwise unsupported central span, that it may be desirable or necessary to provide more than one stock-guiding member, such as the member 25 which has been described; in Fig. 5, I show an arrangement wherein a plurality of longitudinally spaced stockguide members 25-25' may be employed in guiding the central unsupported span of the stock whenever the unsupported span is suiiiciently extensive to demand such support. In the arrangement of Fig. 5, the mechanism involving actuationof the guide member 25 may be exactly the same as that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4, and the corresponding parts are therefore given the same reference numbers. As to the stock-guide member 25', it may be located longitudinally further toward the forward end of the stock-feeding mechanism than is thestockguide member 25; it also may have a spring-toggle mechanism 33 and a pinned connection at 36 to an actuating rod 50. The rod 50 may be directly connected to the toggle mechanism for the rear stock-guiding means 25, but I prefer, and in the present form show, a lost-motion connection between these parts. The lost-motion mechanism may include an elongated sleeve 5|, pinned at 52 to the rod 50, and a rod 53 may be directly connected to the rear toggle mechanism, as at the pin 36. The relationship of the parts is preferably such that with both toggles in the same relative position, there is substantially no lost motion between rods 50-53 and sleeve 5I, in the relative direction in which said rods Sil- 53 may be urged toward each other.

In a typical sequence of operations involving the mechanism of Fig. 5, the stock-guide members 25-25 will have been projected downwardly at commencement of the feed stroke for the pusher means. When the pusher head intercepts the first or rear stock-guide member 25, the lostmotion connection with the forward stock-guide means 25 will permit automatic yielding retraction of the guide member 25 without disturbing the extended setting of the forward stock-guide member 25. Upon continued progress of the stock-feeding means forwardly along the guide means I5, the second stock-guide member 25' will be intercepted, and the lost motion between stock-guide mechanisms will permit the independent yielding retraction of the stock-guide member 25. Both stock-guide members 25-25 will remain retracted for the remainder of the feed stroke and may remain retracted for the entire retracting stroke of the pusher means. Upon loading a new piece of stock I2, and upon initial feeding of the stock-pusher means following loading, the abutment 44 on the forward pusher carriage may again actuate rod 40, and with it rods Ell-53, to simultaneously downwardly project all stock-guiding members 25-25' into guiding relation with the stock I2.

It will be appreciated that I have described a relatively simple means for permitting stock alignment for a maximum period oftime during the feed stroke of a feed mechanism of the charter indicated. This improved means may perform its aligning functions while the problem of aligning a large, unsupported central span of stock is most acute. `My improved mechanism will be appreciated as being readily adaptable to existing feed mechanisms; its use may virtually eliminate excessive noise and damage or wear due to stock whip during high-speed spindle rotation.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail and preferred forms illustrated, it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A stock-feeding mechanism, comprising a -frame including fixed elongated guide means,

stock-pusher means including guide means cooperating with said fixed elongated guide means, and Aa projectable and retractable stock-alignment guide member including a plurality of abutment members spaced with respect to the stockpushing axis when said member is in an extended position, whereby when in said extended position, said member may maintain alignment of the stock on the stock-feeding axis, retraction means for said member comprising means responsive to a feeding advance of said pusher means, and projecting means for actuating said guide member from a retracted position to a projected position, said last-defined means including an actuating member movable upon movement of said pusher means during a part of the cycle of saidr pusher means and while said pusher means is in a substantially drawn-back position.

2. A mechanism according to claim 4, in which said retraction means includes a toggle mechanism having a iirst position to retain said stockguide member in a projected position and a second position to retain said stock-guide member in a retracted position, whereby after an initial displacement of said means responsive to a feed of said pusher, said stock-guide member may be retracted with a snap action and. held in retracted position.

3. In a stock-feeding mechanism of the character indicated, a frame including xed elongated guide means, pusher means guided by said fixed elongated guide means and including a stock-engaging means supported on a stock-feeding axis, feed means for said pusher means including means for feeding and for retracting said pusher means in an automatic cycle, stockguide means carried by said frame near the forward end thereof and including a guide member having a plurality of abutments about the stockfeeding axis when said member is in one position, said member being movable to a second position out of guiding engagement with stock being fed, means responsive to a movement of said pusher means in a first part of said cycle for projecting said stock-guide member into a stock-guiding position, and means responsive to displacement of said pusher means in another part of said feed cycle for retracting said stock-guide member out of the path of said pusher means.

4. In a stock-feeding mechanism of the character indicated, a frame including an elongated I-beam, lixed elongated guide means comprising spaced rails carried by one of the flanges of said I-beam, stock-pusher means including guide means cooperating with said fixed guide means and further including a revoluble pusher head .fm1A a; 'stockr-feedingz'axis #fon reyolublyi sunpontins oneicnd t of-:af-:piecef-z-stocki; to ;be:longitudinally ied;a.:1guide;fork piyotally:.canried byrsaidf trame betweenrsaid' .irai-ls; at aziorward location withrrespectato saidxedeelongatedf guider. mcansoisaid :fork: 'having giingers :spaced ,onf opposite sidessof the. stock-.feeding :,aXisf for f. aligning; 'engagement with Ua"y piece of stock torbe; fred; actuatingfmeans forisaid forks comprising.l ian armaextendingaiiaetween `flanges ofsaid I-bea'm; azztoggie springfiesiliently connecting the upwardly projectingzend of said :arm ivs/'ithjtliel otherflangeeof said Imaam, saidarmbeingntoione side ofathe toggledeadcenter .when said fork; :iszinf ai :projected ,stockguiding 1 position, z'said, i arm n-,being @toiuthe :other side; of :theutoggle dead-.centen.wlierrsaidI dormais in a position retracted out of the pathczofisaid stock-:pusher meansgi said forksfibeing yieldable ,uponf abutment;- Withsaid:,pusherfrmeans' for one direction: of :travel of :said'pushenmeansg andilostmotion meansl connectingisaid. arm fte- 4said pusher means foractuation of saidsfork fromuarretracted position toaanA extendedz'sto'ckfguiding :position'fin vresponsev .to aizrnovernenty of, :.said ,pu'sherssmeans ,when longitudinally 'remote' from fsaidfiork.

5. Ar stockefeeding mechanism,l comprising a frame including :iixed: elongated:- guidecmeansf-L a stockepusherzmember including guide/means cooperating .Wi-thf-saidfixed'y guide meansfo1iguided movement.'tlfierealong-,f saide pusher meansv 'also -in- Cluding. a-head .tofengage'` a length" ofsto'ck- -to` 'be longitudinallyv fed,v a ,plurality of: longitudinally spaced stock-guidemeans retractaloly carried `by said frame' at locations' spaced from lthe'rear-end of said fixed elongatedguidemeans; said stockguide means.`- each l'including abutments spaced about the stcckLieeding-axis whenfinaprojected or` A extended-position, each -of- -said-` stock-guide means beingretractable out-ofthe-patn of -said pushermeansf, and'separateresilient Lla-tchmeans for holdingl each of- -said -stockvguide means-in each of its two possible positions.

6. mechanism according to' claim- 5;,in which said stock-guidel -means are eachindependently yieldable to `retract uponra-butmentffwith lsaid stock-pusher kmeans`- as the #latter is fed forward, and interconnected latch-resetting-means"connectingl said latches to-each-other-and -to said -stockepusher'zmeans andwesponsiyetoua movement mf isa-id i stockspush-,er :means @when 1. said 'stockepusherzmeans iszatza-:location:rearwardof saidsistOk-guide znrlleansA lfor1 'sin'lultaneouslyz.: pro- `3'.reciting-allfsaidxstockgguideimeans.

l1'haiifmechanisnnaccording:ftozclaiin 6,finfwliich .said latcharcsstting :means includesan actuating Arnemlaeiin intencenting actuatable relation with said: stockapushenrmeansgonlynwh-env. said- 'stockpusher means is being fed forwardly and when said:stoAck-nusliennneanszfisaneartheemost rearwardlyaz-.exiiendedvipositiona; of said stacks-pusher means-:wherebyassaidnmechanism-:may A,begloaded 'Withaaenew lengths-of stockfebefore .sa-id stockguide: meansiareprojectedlinto stocks-guiding position.

,8.mA stoekeeedingtzmechanisrn, f comprising.; a frame including fixed u elongated guide nmeans, stock-pusher; ,meansf 'including guide;-;nfieans .cooperating Withzfsaidxed:elongated.guideifmeana and v, aeprojectablegand@retractable lstecken'lign ment :guide :member umoyably ecarried' lby `v.said -frame-y andvprojectngitoi directly embracelpart t of ailength;ofzstoclnfon holding; :the ,same y1in i axial ,alignmentzvwitl :rsaide pusher?. means-s and-.= with e. a machine; torzloeried;J means'mesponsivelto a-move mentxofnsaidnndshen means:v at afrelativelyrforward: position for@fretracting:said:v guide member, and-1meansf responsivef ftoi, a movement :of y said pusheremeanszats ewlrelatimely.v drawn-.backo'lposition for; projecting said guidexmember into stockguiding-.position `9., iA mechanism according to claimrgfin which said.wlastedenedfzmeansi includes an elongated rearfwarcilyuextending actuating1.bar, and one- Wayfzengaging t latchingl-.means cooperating betweerrsaidnpushen'means.andthe rear end-:of .said bar.

References,Citedaimthe A.le ofy this @patent e.iUNITEDzcSIlATESf:PATENTS Number ame Date f 2,55 5;753 l Montgomery June I5; 1951 2,603,746 1 Harvey ;'Sep.t. 2,"1952 FORELGM PATENTS 'Number ICountry Date 3.385,552 "-Great rBritain Y'DecJ-ZQ; -1932 

